Automation within the logistics space has garnered extensive attention over the last decades, so much so that, “The global logistics automation market size is projected to grow from USD 32.7 billion in 2023 to USD 51.2 billion by 2028.” It’s no coincidence that depalletizing is a field that’s seeing an increase in automation, as businesses and individuals alike are realizing the limitations of traditional depalletizing and taking note of the benefits that automation brings with it.
Labor Intensive: Traditionally done, depalletizing involves physically demanding and time-consuming manual labor. Human workers find themselves in a position where they have to lift heavy and inconveniently-shaped objects, as well as alternate between standing up and bending down in order to accommodate the goods which need to be relocated.
Safety risks: Physically demanding manual labor comes with its safety risks, such as overstretching, muscle sprains, and slip and fall accidents. There are mechanisms in place to help minimize this bodily damage, but the safety risks remain prominent for individuals in this line of work.
Speed inconsistency: No two people will always work at the same speed, and no one person can maintain a consistent speed throughout their shift — independent of breaks or time off. There will always be variation in speed when you compare one worker with another, or when you compare one worker’s performance at one time of day versus another.
Lack of precision: As with speed inconsistency, human workers lack precision in their work through no fault of their own. At the end of the day, humans are not robots, and their movements and processes are extremely varied based on the person, their level of exhaustion, their skill level, the time of day, etc.
Scalability: When you are working with automated depalletizing, you are able to scale much more easily than you would if you were reliant on human labor. This allows you to remain adaptable in the face of increased workloads and business growth.
Precision and Accuracy: Robots are able to work 24/7 with no breaks and no time off, all while maintaining the same level of precision and accuracy with absolutely minimal variation. They offer extreme precision in their item picks, which is integral when it comes to the depalletizing process.
Consistency: Automation in depalletizing ensures peak performance and consistency within logistics operations, in a way that cannot be guaranteed when companies are dependent on human laborers whose work will reflect a lot of variation based on fatigue, shift length, and more.
Safety: By minimizing the number of human workers who have to take on manually taxing jobs, companies improve safety within their logistics operations. The jobs that remain are those where human engagement is valued and safety risks are minimal, such as those in process management or planning.
How can you benefit from automating the depalletizing process? Click to learn more.
Human labor plays a vital role in the supply chain; but when it comes to depalletizing, robots are significantly better equipped when it comes to topics like safety, consistency, precision, accuracy, and scalability. Don’t wait another moment longer — take advantage of automation in your depalletizing process today.
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